Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?
by GabyKurt GarBreefield
Summary: The year is 1972, when political strife is ending Lebanon's Golden Age. It is also when 18-year old Karim starts college and falls dangerously in love with another boy, a forbidden passion that can lead to terrible consequences. As civil war breaks out, Karim's life takes a sinister turn as his idyllic world turns disastrously tragic. My 1st Glee A/U & Hevans fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**I WAS BROUGHT UP AND TAUGHT TO SPEAK AND WRITE IN BRITISH ENGLISH, SO EVEN THOUGH **_**GLEE**_** IS AMERICAN, YOU WILL FIND THAT THE Z'S ARE OFTEN REPLACED BY S'S AS IN "STABILISE" ETC, AND THERE IS A U NEXT TO AN O IN SOME WORDS, LIKE "HUMOUR". IF THIS IRKS YOU, PLEASE, EITHER DO NOT READ OR JUST IGNORE THE BRITISH SPELLING FOR THE SAKE OF ENJOYING THE STORY.**

**IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY OR SIMPLY DO NOT APPROVE OF GAY OR LESBIAN ROMANCE, I SUGGEST YOU FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO READ, YOU HOMOPHOBE.**

**IF YOU ARE A BIG FAN OF HEVANS, THEN THIS IS FOR YOU. PS THIS STORY ALSO CONTAINS MILD BRITTANA, KLAINE, SEBLAINE AND KURTOFSKY, BUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY A HEVANS ROMANCE.**

**WARNING: This is not a complete story; it is currently in the making, although I cannot tell when the first chapter will be available. All I have here is the background of the story, which covers the socio-political history of Lebanon, the country in which my A/U is set, the significance of the title as well as the reasons behind the creation of this story. Much of Lebanon's history revolves around the religious diversity of the country, especially the Civil War of 1975-1990, so ****please**** try not to misunderstand the content of my story as pertaining to some sort of bias and most importantly, ****read with an open mind****.**

**A Brief Synopsis**

The year is 1972, when political strife is ending Lebanon's Golden Age. It is also the year when eighteen-year old Karim starts college and falls dangerously in love with another boy, a forbidden passion that can lead to terrible consequences. When civil war breaks out, Karim's life takes a sinister turn as his idyllic world goes disastrously awry, and multiple tragedies unfold.

**Background of story**

When I was in my teens, I once stumbled upon an article in one of my mother's countless women's magazines. It was about celebrity couples who were separated lovers from the past, reunited in the next life. Of course, back then I was old enough to know that the contents of the said article were not all true, but the concept of reincarnation was really gripping. Since then, I always wondered if the people I knew were actually altogether different kettles of fish in their "past lives".

Concept of reincarnation aside, my obsession with Middle Eastern culture and socio-political issues is another driving force behind the writing of this story. It so happened that when I began my university life in 2009, I came across a book, _Pity the Nation – Lebanon at War _by multiple award-winning British journalist and foreign war correspondent for _The Independent _paper, Robert Fisk. It was a detailed account of the bitter Lebanese Civil War that ravaged the beautiful Mediterranean country for fifteen long years. Although I was already pretty familiar with the political history of Lebanon by then, it was Fisk's book that created in me a deep interest towards the war. It made me unearth many an untold tragedy that occurred in that sad little country during those fifteen troubled years. I was highly in awe of the Lebanese people's resilience in facing foreign invasions as well as the multiple betrayals and retaliations of their own kind towards one another in those fifteen harrowing years. The Lebanese Civil War was a conflict that erupted as a result of suppressed ethno-religious tensions that stretch way back to the days of the Ottoman Empire. The Christians, who used to constitute more than half of the population, were against the proposal for change in the political system, where the President of Lebanon was always a Maronite Catholic, while his Prime Minister was always a Sunni Muslim, because of the sudden influx of Palestinian refugees, who were mainly Muslim, from neighbouring Jordan, which resulted in a dramatic shift in religious demographics in the early 1970's, thus compelling the Muslim community to call for the aforementioned changes. This, coupled with foreign interventions from various parties, from Syria to Israel to the United States, only served to lengthen the war as various local armed factions fought for a slice of their own homeland as well the interests of the respective communities they represented. The capital city, Beirut, where my story is set, was divided during the civil war by a "Green Line", separating the predominantly Muslim districts of the West from the prosperous districts of the East, where Christians formed the majority. Both sides were severely damaged by gunfire, shelling and street clashes during the war.

Lebanon, once dubbed as the Switzerland of the Middle East, soon became a living nightmare in its own right. Anyone caught in the wrong side of town was in danger of being murdered by armed members of the religious faction that ruled the area. If a Muslim found himself in a Phalangist-controlled (Christian militant) district, he must fight tooth and nail to find his way into the nearest Muslim stronghold, where his safety was guaranteed. Repeated attacks and sporadic battles have left much of Lebanon's cities in ruins. Even the iconic Martyrs' Square in Beirut, Lebanon's symbol of patriotism and communal harmony, was riddled with bullet holes during the civil war. It was a time when the only motto for many a distraught Lebanese was simply to survive.

When I watched _Glee _for the first time in 2010, I was rather amazed at how America resembled Paradise compared to other less fortunate countries, where life is all about running for cover from violence whenever it comes knocking at your door while you wonder when will it ever end. Although I have seen many American TV shows prior to _Glee_, the revelation that I experienced while watching _Glee _occurred only then, strangely enough. The students of McKinley High did not have to worry about having to cross the "wrong" side of town just to get to school, heavy street fighting or worse, air raids and unending shelling. This, to an extent, was what many Lebanese people experienced during the 15-year civil war. School was no longer a part of daily life for many students; in the refugee camps, Palestinian boys as young as ten were already taught to carry firearms and patrol their territories instead of going to school like other children, while civilians were so paranoid about their safety to the point of bringing rifles with them, even on simple errands like buying groceries. I am not saying that all Americans lead an easy life without any hardships of their own, but what I am trying to stress here is the level of how much has been robbed from these people's childhoods and subsequently, their futures. What happened on 9/11 was a terrible blow that would leave a deep scar in the hearts of many Americans for years to come, but still, it was only for a day. In other parts of the world, like Lebanon, such atrocities carry on longer than a single day. Some even take decades. Recovery is sometimes out of the question, too. This is an ugly side of the world outside America that many people, save those who served in peacekeeping missions, know only by watching from their TV screens or the Internet and other sources of media. I must say _I _am like many Americans, in that sense. We have not experienced what these people went through first-hand. Growing up in Malaysia, a country as multicultural as America, I never knew what it was like to experience life in a war-torn country. Although I am thankful that Malaysia was never plagued by nationwide violence like what happened in Lebanon, a part of me feels that I am somewhat ignorant and insensitive towards the hardships that those living in war-torn countries have to face on a daily basis.

Basically, I came up with the idea of this story from two questions: _What if _Glee _was set in a war-torn country? Would this alteration directly change the lives of the characters in it? _It was then that the concept of reincarnation came back to me. _What if the characters in _Glee _lived in another part of the world in their past lives? _With regards to this statement, it also made me wonder about portraying issues like teenage premarital pregnancy, homosexuality in a different country. In Lebanon, for example, divorce is still a hot-button issue especially in the Christian community, because the Church seldom allows it. Interreligious marriages are also very rare, and homosexuality is still a criminal offence, although enforcement of the law is rather lax. Lebanon provided the perfect setting for my Alternate Universe, as its conservative and religious society is worlds apart from that of American society. The Lebanese are considered to be among the most cosmopolitan people in the Middle East; many are fluent in French and increasingly in English. The Lebanese may adopt Western fashions and a few Western customs as well, like pre-dinner drinks, but their culture tells an altogether different story; regardless of their religion, the Lebanese speak Arabic and take pride in their acquisition of the language as well as the Arab culture (music, fine arts, literature, food and drink), although many prefer not to identify themselves as Arabs.

Of course, creating an Alternate Universe was not easy. The characters, for example, had to assume a Lebanese identity before becoming part of my story. It took me a while to give them Lebanese names that sounded closely like their original ones. Some characters, like Finn (Philippe), Brittany (Brigitte) and Emma Pillsbury (Emilie) were given Western names to portray the penchant among Lebanese Christians to give their children French and occasionally other European names, notably English, Italian and Greek. Several major changes were applied to the plot as well. For example, in the series, Quinn carried her baby to full term and gave birth to Beth, but in my Alternate Universe, she has to abort it for fear of her father's wrath. Also, since the story is set in a war-torn country, some of the characters had to be killed off to show the impact of the Lebanese Civil War in the story. This was one of the hardest parts for me, because all the characters from _Glee _are so lovable, it was painful to axe them off the storyline.

As for the story's title, I chose to name it _Have I Told You Lately that I Love You_ for several reasons. First of all, it is because this story deals a lot with unrequited love. Kurt is in love with Sam, who is oblivious towards his feelings, and Kurt himself is unaware that Blaine is in love with him, too. At the end of the story, Kurt dies unloved. During the civil war, Quinn has to divorce Sam because of his involvement with a Christian militant group that committed atrocities towards civilians, but even after Quinn has emigrated for good, Sam still loves her deeply. Artie is embittered because Brittany has left him for Santana, while Puck has to cope with Lauren's untimely death during the civil war. Additionally, the title also demonstrates the many sacrifices some of the characters have to make just to be with each other, for their love is considered forbidden. In this story, Rachel, a Muslim, is love with Finn, a Christian. The same is said for Matt, a Christian, who loves Sunshine, a Muslim. As stated previously, interreligious marriages are very rare and often discouraged in Lebanese society partly because of mutual sectarian disaffection. At the same time, we also have Tina and Mike, whose relationship is forbidden because they belong to different denominations of the Church, while Sam's love for Quinn is opposed because they do not belong to the same rung of the social ladder, although both are Christians from the same denomination. On top of that, the love quadrangle involving Kurt, Sam, Blaine and Dave is something that most Lebanese would never imagine would have ever taken place among their own kind on their own soil. Although Lebanon does not condone homosexuality to this day, there are many LGBT's who lead double lives to avoid discrimination. Hence, the plight of the underground LGBT community in Lebanon was also the reason behind the title of this story.

As of now, all I have is the background of this story as well as a list of the characters in it. I have no plans to develop it into a proper full story as I have many other commitments to cater to at the moment, such as my Bachelor of Arts degree. When I am less occupied, God willing, this will eventually become a complete story!

**So, I have basically said it all. Do review and send in your comments, darling readers. If you have any questions regarding the context of my A/U, please do not hesitate to ask them. I will gladly answer them for you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ANY OTHER CHARACTER OF FICTITIOUS ORIGIN, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS I**

**THE LOVE QUADRANGLE**

**Karim Habeel** (Kurt Hummel) is the main protagonist. He is the Costume Designer of the Music and Drama Club. He is a Chaldean Catholic of Assyrian origin. He is secretly in love with his classmate Samir. He has been romantically involved with Bassel and Daoud, but deep down, he remains faithful to Samir. He is also an extremely loyal friend to those dearest to him. He unwillingly helps Quirine to abort her unborn child to save her from her father's wrath as well as to protect her reputation. He becomes disillusioned after Bassel's sudden death, but readily agrees to Daoud's suggestion of leaving the country for a better future. They eventually settle in Argentina, but Karim moves to Canada soon after Daoud's mysterious disappearance at the height of the Dirty War. Although frustrated by the destruction caused by the civil war, a traumatised and cancer-stricken Karim returns home fifteen years later in search of Samir. He is then reunited with the surviving members of his alma mater, including Samir. Karim is aware that Samir knows about his repressed love for him. He tries to pursue Samir, but Samir rejects him coldly. Karim eventually dies heartbroken, albeit with the hope that Samir will accept him in the afterlife.

**Samir Bou Essam** (Sam Evans) is Karim's love interest. A middle-class Maronite Catholic of humble origins, he is engaged to the wealthy Quirine. Having witnessed the murders of his parents and in-laws in the hands of Palestinian mobsters during the civil war, he joins the Phalangists as a militant, which ultimately leads to Quirine divorcing him. Throughout most of the story, he is unaware that Karim is in love with him, until fifteen years later, through a surprise encounter with Karim's best friend Majida, when Karim has presumably left the country for good. When he is finally reunited with Karim, he refuses Karim's romantic advances, partly because he still loves Quirine. Nevertheless, he is deeply affected by Karim's death. To help ease his own guilt, he begins playing the role of a dutiful son to Karim's devastated father, given that he is already an orphan. At this point, he is adopted by Karim's father and becomes Philippe's new stepbrother. At the end of the story, after Philippe and Rasha exchange their vows, he rushes to Karim's grave and breaks down in tears, unable to control his remorse. He silently promises Karim that should there be a next life for them, he will love him till his dying day.

**Bassel Andari **(Blaine Anderson) is Karim's best friend and secret admirer. Although he loves Karim, he hides his feelings for fear of retaliation from his strict Druze family. While Karim has a love-hate relationship with Daoud, he views Bassel as a role model and an ideal brother. Bassel is fatally shot in the chest with a stray bullet fired by his secret admirer Sabreddine, which is originally intended for Karim. He confesses his love for Karim only when he succumbs to his injuries.

**Daoud Kheireddine **(Dave Karofsky) is Karim's other secret admirer, although he hides his feelings like Bassel. However, while Bassel is warm and loving, Daoud is temperamental and sometimes abusive towards Karim. Nevertheless, he loves Karim wholeheartedly. He comes from an affluent Sunni Muslim family. Daoud and Philippe are sworn enemies because Philippe is aware of Daoud's violent treatment towards Karim. After Bassel's death, Karim begins to acknowledge Daoud's love, although he still pines for Samir. While in Argentina, Daoud unwisely dabbles in politics, resulting in his mysterious disappearance at the height of the Dirty War, leaving Karim shattered.


	3. Chapter 3

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ANY OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTER, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS II**

**THE CLASSMATES**

**Philippe Haddad** (Finn Hudson) is Karim's stepbrother, also of Assyrian origin. He is Vice President of the Music and Drama Club. He lost his father in an accident during the 1958 Political Crisis. When he was eighteen, his mother remarried Karim's father. Formerly Quirine's boyfriend, he is later engaged to Rasha. Philippe keeps a watchful eye on Karim out of brotherly love, and subsequently disapproves of Karim's intimate friendships with Bassel and Daoud. He enlists the help of Samir and Nouhad to make Karim manlier, but his plan backfires when Karim falls for Samir. He hates Daoud viscerally for tormenting Karim, but has no idea whatsoever about Daoud's repressed love for his stepbrother. When he learns that Karim has left for Argentina with Daoud, he vows to kill Daoud if they ever meet again. However, he still remains on corresponding terms with Karim. Philippe is unable to marry Rasha due to the outbreak of civil war, but is subsequently reunited with her at Karim's deathbed. He has fought alongside Samir for the Phalangists during the civil war, during which he was kicked out by his mother and stepfather for allegedly massacring Palestinian refugees in their camps. However, he reconciles with his family when the allegations made against him are declared to be false. The story ends with him and Rasha getting married a year after Karim's death.

**Rasha Berri** (Rachel Berry) is Philippe's controversial love interest. She is considered the most musically knowledgeable member of the Music and Drama Club, and is its de facto President. Born into a middle-class Shiite Muslim household, her engagement to Philippe has caused tensions within her own family. She is close friends with Karim, Bassel and Majida, although her competitive streak tends to create a rift between them at times. As the civil war intensifies, Rasha is unable to marry Philippe when her family hastily decides to flee the country. While settling down in Australia, she meets struggling musician Yasser and falls for him in spite of his massive insecure ego. Their romance almost culminates into marriage, but Rasha calls it off at the last minute upon realising that she still loves Philippe. Years later, she and Philippe are reunited at Karim's deathbed. This time, they vow to get married.

**Quirine Franjieh** (Quinn Fabray) is Samir's fiancée. She was previously Philippe's girlfriend, but their relationship ended when she fell for Nouhad's charms and subsequently bedded him, falling pregnant in the process. She aborted the baby nonetheless, which enraged Nouhad. Hailing from a politically influential Maronite family, her engagement to Samir is opposed by her parents, largely due to class differences. Quirine's friendships with her classmates have always been volatile as a result of her snobbish attitude, but she has an exceptionally soft spot for Karim and Majida, mainly because they assisted in the abortion of her unborn child, albeit reluctantly. When the civil war takes a turn for the worse, she divorces Samir and seeks political asylum in Sweden, where she remarries another expatriate and starts her own family. Upon learning that she is the sole inheritor of her parents' fortune given the untimely death of her older sister, she bequeaths all of it to her ex-classmate, the humanitarian Tia, requesting that it should be used for a noble cause, an indication that she has greatly matured over the years.

**Nouhad Pakradounian **(Noah Puckerman) is the resident class playboy and biological father of Quirine's illegitimate daughter, whom she aborted without his consent to avoid her parents' wrath. He is best friends with Philippe and Samir. Although he holds a grudge against Quirine for the abortion, they are still on friendly terms. He also had a torrid, on-and-off romance with Sahar, which ultimately ended in bitterness. He is an ethnic Armenian who takes pride in his cultural heritage, but eventually marries a Maronite, Laure, against his mother's wishes. He is the most wayward member of the Music and Drama Club, but his love for Laure and a chance encounter with his estranged father eventually motivate him to pursue a bright future. He becomes a recluse shortly after Laure is killed during the civil war. However, he finds a true friend in Adib, who also suffers from heartbreak. After Adib's death, Nouhad reunites with the surviving members of his alma mater in a chance meeting. At this point, he tries to repair his friendship with Philippe, which nearly dissolved because of Quirine, but is surprised when Philippe happily asks him to be best man at his wedding.

**Sahar Lateif **(Santana Lopez) is the resident wild child of the class. She is notorious for falling in and out of love with Nouhad, and has dated Daoud on several occasions as his beard. However, she later develops an attraction for her best friend Brigitte, partly due to her disenchantment towards men. She is a Sunni Muslim from an exiled and dysfunctional Palestinian political family. She is constantly at loggerheads with her conservative parents because of her ambition to be a world-famous belly dancer. Nevertheless, she changes her mind after witnessing a massacre of civilians at a Palestinian refugee camp during the civil war, which initially traumatises her. This compels her to become an outspoken activist for the liberation of her people. Around the time of Karim's death, she and Brigitte have been imprisoned at least four times during the civil war by Israeli authorities. Brigitte's death later inspires her to continue fighting for her people.

**Brigitte Bidas **(Brittany S. Pierce) is the resident klutz and Sahar's best friend. In spite of her lack of intelligence, she is warm and kind-hearted. She and Sahar are secretly in love. She comes from a modest Greek Orthodox family. Following the outbreak of civil war, she elopes with Sahar and joins her in the quest to free Palestine. In the final years of the civil war, an ailing Brigitte dies in prison with Sahar by her side.

**Adib Ebrahim **(Artie Abrams) is Brigitte's wheelchair-bound boyfriend and the resident class genius. Their relationship is highly approved by his and Brigitte's family mainly because he is also from a Greek Orthodox family, despite his physical handicap. He is formerly Tia's boyfriend. He becomes terribly embittered when Brigitte leaves him for Sahar. He eventually dies a hopeless self-hating alcoholic in the arms of his only friend, Nouhad, soon after the civil war ends.

**Majida George **(Mercedes Jones) is Karim's best friend, whom he often favours over Bassel. She is the Assistant Costume Designer and Makeup Artist of the Music and Drama Club. She had a brief romance with Samir, but finds new love in Shadi. She is the only person who knows about Karim's love for Samir. She becomes close friends with former enemy Quirine after she reluctantly joins Karim in helping to abort Quirine's unborn child in secret. She comes from a middle-class Maronite family. She and Shadi move to France following the outbreak of civil war, where they eventually marry. After the civil war, she and Shadi return home occasionally for a brief visit, but both never consider settling down permanently for fear of another civil war.

**Tia Khofré **(Tina Cohen-Chang) is the shiest student in class. She is Treasurer of the Music and Drama Club. She was formerly Adib's girlfriend, but left him in favour of Mikhail due to irreconcilable differences. She is close friends with Karim, Majida and Brigitte. She is from a well-to-do Assyrian family of intellectuals, but her down-to-earth personality differs greatly from that of the flashy and snobbish Quirine. Her timidity in fact belies her charitable spirit, and during the civil war, she and Mikhail repeatedly go through life-threatening risks to offer Palestinian refugees humanitarian aid.

**Mikhail Chahine **(Mike Chang) is the resident class dance guru. He is Head Choreographer of the Music and Drama Club. He comes from an upper-class Melkite Greek Catholic family. His romance with Tia has caused tensions within his family, who insist that he must marry a girl from their community, among other things. He is disowned by his father when he elopes with Tia. He then becomes Tia's loyal companion in braving various obstacles to offer Palestinian refugees humanitarian aid.

**Mathieu Rouhana **(Matt Rutherford) is one of the quieter members of the Music and Drama Club. He is Mikhail's best friend. He was initially suspected of dating the equally timid Tia, but is later revealed to be dating Shadia Karazon, a talented singer from the rival National Music Conservatory. His relationship with Shadia is misread by some members of the Music and Drama Club as betrayal, but Shadia herself stands by him and successfully proves his innocence. Although hurt by the accusations hurled against him, Mathieu continues to participate regularly in the Music and Drama Club's activities due to his love for music. During the civil war, he refuses to fight for the Phalangists, secretly marries Shadia and moves to Egypt, where he manages her singing career.

**Shadi Tueni **(Shane Tinsley) is the star athlete of the class. He is Majida's boyfriend, and gets along well with Karim. He is also a Maronite Catholic. He decides to leave for France with Majida almost immediately after receiving an invitation from Samir and Philippe to fight for the Phalangists.


	4. Chapter 4

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS III**

**THE FAMILY MEMBERS**

**Carole Habeel (formerly Haddad, nee Hawi) **(Carol Hudson) is Philippe's mother, who was widowed when her late husband, a soldier, was killed in an accident during the 1958 Political Crisis when Philippe was four. She meets Karim's father during the Annual Spring Music Festival where the Music and Drama Club is performing, and falls in love with him. Both Karim and Philippe are initially uncomfortable with their parents dating each other, but both realise that their parents, having been single all these years, deserve a life partner, and eventually consent to their relationship. They finally marry in Karim and Philippe's sophomore year. She disowns Philippe during the civil war when he joins the Phalangists in battle, especially after suspecting him of participating in the massacres of Palestinian refugees. However, she reconciles with him on his wedding day when she receives news that he and Samir were not involved in any massacres of refugees, but rather in operational battles waged against foreign enemy forces to protect the country. She initially does not approve of him dating Rasha on religious grounds, but over time, she learns to accept Rasha as her future daughter-in-law.

**Boutros Habeel **(Burt Hummel) is Karim's father who runs a successful automobile repair service. He is extremely protective of Karim, even more so after the loss of his first wife to cancer. He finds a new lease in his romantic life when he bumps into Philippe's mother Carole during the Annual Spring Music Festival. He falls in love with her and they begin dating, much to his son and Philippe's initial consternation. He eventually marries Carole when Philippe and Karim realise that they make a good family. He and Carole throw Philippe out during the civil war due to his suspected participation in massacring refugees, but is the first to welcome him back into the house when the suspicions are proven to be false. In spite of his fierce exterior, Boutros is a loving father and an extremely tolerant individual who indirectly preaches interreligious harmony to everyone. He has sheltered Sahar and Brigitte on more than one occasion during the worst phases of the civil war. Throughout the story, he, like Carole and Philippe, are unaware of Karim's sexual orientation, although Karim has once confided in Majida that Boutros will still love him if he finds out because he is the best father in the world. He suffers an emotionally fatal blow when Karim eventually succumbs to cancer, but regains his zest for life when Samir volunteers to care for him in every way he can. He wholeheartedly adopts Samir as his stepson shortly before Philippe and Rasha's wedding.

**Douaihy Bou Essam **(Dwight Evans)is Samir's father. Down-to-earth and optimistic, he is extremely popular among his customers and neighbours who frequent his tailor shop. Nevertheless, he is uncomfortable towards his son's romance with the wealthy Quirine, but he consents to their marriage nonetheless. He is aware of Rousseau's ulterior motives, especially those involving his son, but eventually realises that he is powerless to stop Rousseau. He unknowingly angers Rousseau when he humbly refuses financial assistance to help expand his tailor shop. He and his wife are accidentally killed in an angry Palestinian mob's attempt to assassinate Quirine's parents during the civil war while on the way to church for Mass.

**Marie Bou Essam (nee Saad) **(Mary Evans) is Samir's mother. Like Samir's father, she is also humble and amiable. She is a dutiful and loyal wife and mother to her family. Although she avoids Quirine's parents, she remains close to Samir and does not object to his love for Quirine. She and Douaihy are accidentally killed in an angry Palestinian mob's attempt to assassinate Quirine's parents during the civil war while on the way to church for Mass.

**Rousseau Franjieh **(Russell Fabray)is Quirine's ambitious father. He is a prominent politician as well as a prosperous businessman. His personal ambitions and fixation with upholding the family honour have resulted in a rocky relationship with his wife and children, especially Quirine, who fears him. Quirine has once revealed to Karim and Majida that Rousseau is capable of killing her with his bare hands if he ever hears about her pregnancy. He does not approve of Samir dating Quirine, but relents when he realises that Samir may be useful for his political campaigns. He loses his popularity when he publicly supports the forceful expulsion of Palestinian refugees. He is killed along with his wife and Samir's parents by an angry Palestinian mob during the civil war while on the way to church for Mass.

**Julie Franjieh (nee Semaan) **(Judy Fabray)is Quirine's long-suffering but highly materialistic mother. Although she is equally fearful of Rousseau, she does not speak out against him because she is afraid of losing access to his unlimited wealth. She despises Samir and his family because she considers them as inferiors. Even though Quirine has inherited her snobbish attitude, she is somewhat detached from her, as she prefers to invest her time with spending Rousseau's money. She secretly hopes that Quirine will marry a man as rich as Rousseau. She is killed along with Rousseau and Samir's parents by an angry Palestinian mob during the civil war while on the way to church for Mass.

**Stephan and Stephanie Bou Essam (Stevie and Stacey Evans) **are Samir's younger siblings. They are a pair of fraternal twins who are emotionally inseparable. They take an instant dislike to Quirine and her family because of their high-handedness. Nevertheless, they remain close to Samir. During the civil war, they are adopted by an uncle after the deaths of their parents and follow him to France for a better future. They are reunited with Samir after the civil war, when they both return to Lebanon with families of their own.

**Kabir Andari **(Cooper Anderson) is Bassel's older brother, who is a successful theatre actor. Bassel is not on good terms with him as Kabir has a bad habit of unknowingly belittling him, especially when it comes to their musical talents. However, the two brothers are reconciled by Karim soon after Kabir realises his mistakes. He is emotionally shattered by Bassel's death, but he does not blame Karim either, stating that he always has a premonition that his brother's life will be tragically cut short.

**Nouhad's parents **(Noah's parents) are both estranged. Nouhad's mother is an embittered woman who often berates herself for failing to prevent the collapse of her own marriage. Nouhad's father on the other hand appears only once in the story. He is a drifter and a petty crook who abandons his family when he can no longer cope with the responsibilities of being a father. Nouhad grows up to hate him, but unknowingly inherits his wayward and philandering habits. When Nouhad does meet his father, he is repulsed by what he sees and resolves to turn to a new leaf.


	5. Chapter 5

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ANY FICTIONAL CHARACTER, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS IV**

**THE FACULTY**

**Dr. William Choueiri **(William Schuester) is the charismatic and down-to-earth Dramatic Arts Lecturer-cum-Music and Drama Club Facilitator with a golden heart, who teaches at Karim's college. He is regarded as a father figure by his students. Nevertheless, his revolutionary teaching methods displeases the strict conformist Dr. Suzan, resulting in mutual enmity. He is also a loving husband to his second wife and colleague Emilie, who is unfortunately barren. During the civil war, he writes a satirical play that condemns the senselessness of the bloodshed around him. He even pens a few songs to be used in the play, which are then set to music by his colleague and old flame, Sherine. Just as he is about to attend the premiere of his play, he is killed while trying to protect Emilie and Sherine from gunfire.

**Mme Emilie al-Boustani **(Emma Pillsbury) is the soft-spoken Guidance Counsellor at Karim's college and Dr. William's long-suffering love interest, whom she eventually marries after he divorces his cruel first wife Therese. Emotionally crushed by Dr. William's death, she attempts suicide, only to be stopped by her colleague Sherine, who reminds her that William gave up his life for her, and surviving the civil war is the best way to honour his memory.

**Prof. Sherine Kasrani **(Shelby Corcoran) is the Dean of the National Music Conservatory. She had a brief romance with Dr. William, but their relationship fizzled when Dr. William realised he is not intellectually en par with her. She is ruthless in upholding the reputation of the National Music Conservatory, but her hard exterior belies her warm, compassionate soul. She resigns from her post during the civil war and collaborates with Dr. William in the production of his play. She develops a close friendship with Mme Emilie at this point. She fights tooth and nail to stage Dr. William's play after his death, but suffers a nervous breakdown out of grief during the curtain call. Ironically, she is the one who successfully talks Mme Emilie out of suicide when the latter is unable to cope with their mutual loss.

**Mme Arabelle Raad **(April Rhodes) is an alumnus of Karim's college with a bright future, whose dreams of making it big onstage turned disastrous when her agent nearly tricked her into prostitution. She has since then appeared in bit roles in various unsuccessful theatrical productions, but she has also assisted Dr. William in coaching the Music and Drama Club. During the civil war, Dr. William casts her as heroine in his satirical play, fully aware of her immense talent. Her performance is praised by a prominent music critic, who then recommends her to a big Egyptian recording label, further catapulting her to stardom. It is revealed at the end of the story that she has dedicated all of her studio albums to Dr. William.

**Dr. Zeynoun Biche **(Shannon Beiste) is the Physics Lecturer at Karim's college. She is a Sunni Muslim of mixed Arab and French descent. She is occasionally taunted by the students for her masculine features. She ends up shocking everyone when she marries the handsome Sports Facilitator Khattar al-Melky. However, it is soon revealed that her marriage is an extremely unhappy one. She is close friends with Dr. William, Mme Emilie, Dr. Hala, Dr. Rosette and Dr. Charles. During the civil war, she divorces Khattar and moves to Jordan, where she continues to lecture in a reputable university.

**Dr. Hala Halabi **(Holly Holliday) is the French Lecturer at Karim's college with a love for music. She is an extremely gifted pianist, too. She is close friends with Dr. William, Mme Emilie, Prof. Sherine and Dr. Zeynoun. She has guest-performed for the Music and Drama Club on several occasions. She briefly dates Dr. William after his relationship with Prof. Sherine fizzles, but later breaks up with him upon realising that he actually loves Mme Emilie. During the civil war, she hastily marries her dentist boyfriend Charles and settles in France. While in France, she translates and restages Dr. William's play in French, receiving much critical acclaim.

**Dr. Charles du Honoré **(Carl Howell) is a middle-aged dentist who used to lecture at La Sorbonne in Paris before settling in Beirut. He is of Anglo-French descent. A widower formerly married to a Lebanese woman, he has lived in Beirut even after his wife's death and has taught Medical Science at Karim's college for almost a decade. He falls in love with one of his colleagues, the French Lecturer Dr. Hala. They hastily marry following the outbreak of civil war and move to France for a better life.

**Dr. Rosette Wassouf **(Roz Washington) teaches Arabic Literature at Karim's college. She is one of Dr. Zeynoun's closest friends and is instrumental in revealing Khattar's true colours.


	6. Chapter 6

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ANY OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTER, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS V**

**THE VILLAINS**

**Yasser Abu Jamaluddin **(Jesse St. James) is a struggling classical musician of Shiite Muslim parentage based in Australia. He falls in love with Rasha during her years in Australia. Despite his eloquent ear for music, he is very unpopular among his colleagues because of his inflatable ego. He publicly humiliates Rasha at their wedding when she reveals that she still has feelings for Philippe. As a result, he is thrashed by the men of Rasha's family and thrown out of his own wedding, which serves as his ultimate fall from grace.

**Sabreddine Subhi **(Sebastian Smythe) is Bassel's secret admirer. He is deeply resentful towards Karim. He comes from a poor Shiite Muslim family and was repeatedly abused by his father and older brothers for his effeminate behaviour. Despite his poverty, he is nonetheless as academically brilliant as Karim and Bassel. He considers Karim to be the bane of his existence for stealing Bassel's affections from him. In the midst of heavy unrest, he tries to kill Karim out of jealousy, but ends up killing Bassel by mistake. Overcome with guilt, he commits suicide on the spot.

**Prof. Mohammad Firdaus **(Principal Figgins) is the Dean of Karim's college. He is a submissive, henpecked man who is constantly bullied by his wife Suzan, over whose tyranny he has no control. At times, he unwillingly chastises Dr. William just to please Suzan whenever she threatens to leave him for Khattar al-Melky the Sports Facilitator. During the civil war, he flees to Saudi Arabia with Suzan, never to be heard of again.

**Dr. Suzan Skandar **(Sue Sylvester) is Prof. Firdaus' feisty nagging wife and a Political Science Lecturer at Karim's college, who despises Dr. William for his revolutionary teaching methods. On several occasions, she has attempted to sabotage the Music and Drama Club out of spite against Dr. William, but never succeeds. She is attracted to the newly appointed Sports Facilitator, Khattar al-Melky, and she often uses his name to threaten her husband. As a result, she secretly hates his wife, Dr. Zeynoun Biche, the Physics Lecturer, who is also her colleague. However, she abandons her fantasy when it is revealed that Khattar is an abusive husband. She and Prof. Firdaus flee to Saudi Arabia during the civil war, never to be heard of again.

**Therese Choueiri (nee Ghassan) **(Terri Schuester) is Dr. William's first wife. She is a cold, calculative and cruel woman who expects everything to be done her way. She claims to be Dr. William's childhood sweetheart, but it is evident that the chemistry between them has evaporated a long time ago. When she learns that Mme Emilie has been "dallying" with her husband, she takes extraordinary pains to make her life a living hell. Dr. William eventually divorces Therese when he can no longer afford her extravagant lifestyle. She immediately marries a wealthy Greek merchant after that and settles down to a life of luxury in America.

**Shakira Mattar **(Sugar Motta) is the resident spoilt rich girl who thinks that she can buy everything and everyone with her father's money. She is the daughter of a wealthy Sunni Muslim businessman. She claims to be an extremely talented singer, but fails the Music and Drama Club auditions. Deeply angered by this, she moves to the National Music Conservatory to hone her nonexistent talent. During the National Intercollegiate Dramatic Arts Competition, the members of the Music and Drama Club are surprised when they see that her singing has greatly improved thanks to her training at the National Music Conservatory. When they humbly compliment her on her singing, she cruelly mocks them in public. During the civil war, she relocates to Dubai, where she becomes a successful exponent of Gulf music. A decade later, she retires into seclusion after marrying the wealthy Sheikh Rowaished Farooqi.

**Yakoub Bou Ismail **(Jacob Ben Israel) is the sarcastic editor of the college magazine. He is extremely unpopular among both students and lecturers for spreading vicious rumours about their personal lives. He has a huge crush on Rasha, but is unable to vie for her affections due to heavy competition from Philippe. Embittered by Rasha's rejection, he teams up with Dr. Suzan in her many attempts to sabotage the Music and Drama Club. He eventually becomes a journalist during the civil war, where he conjures tales of Philippe and Samir's involvement in large-scale massacres at Palestinian refugee camps as an act of revenge against Philippe in particular. He is killed several years later while covering the 1982 Israeli invasion.

**Azimine **(Azimio) is the resident college bully. He takes pleasure in tormenting the members of the Music and Drama Club, and has even assisted Dr. Suzan in her many plots against Dr. William. Dim-witted and brutish, he nevertheless attains great wealth during the civil war as a middleman in the illegal hashish trade. However, he is killed by Samir and Philippe during a siege in the final years of the civil war.

**Khattar al-Melky **(Cooter Menkins)is the self-made owner of a local downtown gymnasium who tries his luck as Sports Facilitator at Karim's college after declaring bankruptcy and selling off his gymnasium for a paltry sum of money. There, he meets and falls in love with the Physics lecturer, Dr. Zeynoun. He suffers a fall from grace when it is revealed that he is an abusive husband towards Dr. Zeynoun, resulting in his arrest.


	7. Chapter 7

**HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN **_**GLEE**_**. IT SOLELY BELONGS TO RYAN MURPHY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WAS EVER INTENDED IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS FANFIC.**

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE ALL MERE FIGMENTS OF MY OWN IMAGINATION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

**LIST OF CHARACTERS VI**

**MISCELLEANOUS CHARACTERS**

**Shadia Karazon **(Sunshine Corazon) is a talented singer and student of the prestigious National Music Conservatory. She is Rasha's archrival, although she never harbours any bad feelings for Rasha. She is a Sunni Muslim born to Palestinian refugees-turned-naturalised Lebanese citizens. Her romance with Mathieu is not supported by her parents because of his Maronite Catholic faith. She aspires to use her talent as a platform to promote world peace. Following the outbreak of civil war, she secretly marries Mathieu and moves to Egypt with him, where she establishes a successful singing career. It is revealed at the end of the story that she has reconciled with her parents after nearly twenty years of estrangement.

**Laure Ziadeh **(Lauren Zizes) is Nouhad's mentally unstable wife, whom he genuinely loves, although she claims to hate him. She comes from a poor Maronite family. She is hated by Nouhad's mother not because of her religion, ethnicity or poverty, but rather for her meningitis, which Nouhad's mother fears is hereditary and might be passed down to her grandchildren. She is killed while being rushed to hospital in a neighbour's car amidst intense street fighting, when armed militants accidentally throw a grenade at the unsuspecting vehicle. Her gory death during the civil war leaves Nouhad severely heartbroken and disillusioned with life.

**Wissam, Taddai, Dawid, Tarek, Nikolas, Bashir and Seferino (La Chœur d'Hommes de Collège Saint-Hardini) **(Wes, Thad, David, Trent, Nick, Beatboxer and Jeff) (Dalton Academy Warblers) are members of an all-boys' choir from a prestigious Christian private college who perform with the Music and Drama Club of Karim's college and the National Music Conservatory during the Annual Spring Music Festival. They are inseparable best friends who almost always get into trouble with the college authorities. Unlike their classmates, the seven boys are considered rambunctious in the eyes of their uptight college dean. However, deep down, they are humble, friendly and sociable, and they get along extremely well with the members of the Music and Drama Club. During the civil war, they form a jazz band, performing regularly in hotels and nightclubs throughout Beirut in addition to penning subtle antiwar songs for famous singers. They are soon discovered by Mme Arabelle, who, impressed by their talent, relocates them to Egypt as composers and musicians for her upcoming album. They eventually find their own success as a sophisticated jazz act in Cairo, but return to Lebanon at the end of the civil war to help rebuild their homeland. At the end of the story, Philippe invites them to perform at his and Rasha's wedding reception.

**Sheikh Rowaished Farooqi **(Rory Flanagan) is the wealthy scion of a minor royal family in Kuwait, who falls in love with Shakira at the peak of her career. He is her biggest fan, but is obligated by family tradition to forbid her from singing professionally after marriage.

**Cassandra Khoury (nee Ghassan) **(Kendra Giardi) is Therese's widowed sister. She is a deeply religious woman who takes whatever steps she thinks necessary to keep Dr. William from divorcing Therese, but ultimately fails. She reluctantly follows Therese to America during the civil war, retiring to a life of luxury.


End file.
